Re: UNH Commits & Recruiting: 2017 and Beyond

Originally Posted by Nick Papagiorgio

That's usually how it happens. The kids that had "offers" from the biggies didn't have full offers necessarily and/or got offered more cash at the school they committed to. Then the back-story becomes, we got a kid over BC/BU. These are usually the same types of people that tell the story about how a certain Calgary Flame "committed" to UNH but couldn't get thru admissions so he had to fall back on BC.

Whew!!! I thought you were going to go two weeks without referencing "The Johnny Gaudreau Story!!!". I know you love it so, but that 5 year streak of using it every other week was dangerously close to slipping by the boards. Nice save!!!

Re: UNH Commits & Recruiting: 2017 and Beyond

Originally Posted by E.J. Smith

And Spencer Knight - an 01 and the best youth hockey goalie I've ever seen - is already committed to BC. Sorry about introducing the practical side of things just when we were about to have an emotional moment...

Teams need more than one goalie nowadays especially since NHL quality players only stay a year or two and BC was probably hedging on Knight leaving early and bringing in Commesso a year or two later to stagger them and of course that would muddy the waters as BC being a landing spot. Also heard that BC wanted him so BU wouldnt get him...ended up at UNH anyways. Not sure BU is a great fit for goalies. BC has a proven track record but I would go on a limb and say UNH is better at producing goalies than BU is. Add in from the UNH Blog "Drew Commesso: I visited several area Hockey East schools and had other offers but I felt that UNH was the best fit for me. After visiting a few schools I figured out that I did not want to go to a school with an urban campus so that narrowed my search, and after visiting UNH I knew it was for me"

Found this though as interesting comment regarding Commesso/Knight:

Goaltenders:

1. Drew Commesso, #1 Light Blue, Bay State Breakers – The clear #1 here. He’s already well over six feet, so he fits that profile. He’s athletic and controls rebounds extremely well. He looks to be this year’s version of Spencer Knight (Avon).

Re: UNH Commits & Recruiting: 2017 and Beyond

Originally Posted by HockeyRef

Totally loved the article too and if Drew has that same mindset coming in that's very refreshing...We talked about the 'story' that Mike/Stewie might be telling to the recruit; 'we're thinking you could be the one who brings glory back to UNH'. That's a powerful story to tell a 14/15 year old kid; getting them engaged in what I call "possibility thinking". Powerful stuff!!!

I think thats the angle you have to take currently. Show them the banners/tradition and then show them the passion of the fan base as shown at the UNH/Umaine games and its certainly an attraction. Bringing glory back to a program and making your mark can be motivating to some players rather than picking BU/BC and just being another cog in the wheel. You also have to have a kids that is confident in their abilities enough to break the norm of blue chips just flowing to BC/BU and go where he thinks its the best fit for him. Once you can find a few high profile prospects willing to do that others are more likely to follow.

That's usually how it happens. The kids that had "offers" from the biggies didn't have full offers necessarily and/or got offered more cash at the school they committed to. Then the back-story becomes, we got a kid over BC/BU. These are usually the same types of people that tell the story about how a certain Calgary Flame "committed" to UNH but couldn't get thru admissions so he had to fall back on BC.

First of all, if you're going to continuously bring up the Gaudreau story, you should get it right. The fact of the matter is UNH admissions refused to even review his transcripts. I can promise you that much is flat out true. Now, that doesn't mean he picks UNH if his application is reviewed, but that is beside the point. The idea that admissions would simply blow off the athletic department, let alone in the case of a transcendent athlete is a huge concern. I can't speak for everyone here, but that is why the story bothers me. And that is why I believe it gets brought up as often as it does. They never gave themselves a chance.

You bring up a great point about recruiting, however - I've tried to express many times here that not all interest and offers are created equal. Most recently and notably with Wyse and his supposed BU interest - I don't question anyone's sources or integrity, but miscommunication and misunderstandings (and especially exaggerations) often happen when people discuss offers. They happen without any nefarious intentions. Still, the idea that BU would match UNH or could afford to offer anything substantial in the same off-season they were forced to run off a kid like Fortunato because they had no money or PT is silly...

Another misconception is the idea that UNH or any other school cannot compete for recruits with the BCs, BUs, etc and must settle for scraps. Sure, they may start with an advantage - but the key difference in landing these kids are the recruiters selling those schools and the biggest obstacle for the rest of the pack are the recruiters on those competing campuses.

I don't think anybody feared BC when Cedorchuk was leading recruiting. York is a monster. BU lost a a ton of recruiting battles late in Parker's career and now Quinn has them absolutely rolling. Notre Dame was an after thought until Jackson arrived and chased whoever he wanted without reservation. Maine had no business getting elite recruits until Walsh arrived and settled for nothing less. Providence scared no one and now Leaman has them in the mix for all kinds of top kids. Why anyone would want to go anywhere but Miami is a mystery to me - but the RedHawks were never in the mix until Blasi showed up and was determined to get in on the best kids. Etc, etc, etc...

(BTW, existing in all the situations above are HC who are heavily invested in recruiting, making it a personal priority and taking on a/the leading roles in the process)

When you watch the game tonight remember that Alabama was an afterthought for a long time between dynasties. Clemson was almost always an also ran. Suddenly, two hungry, ambitious and relentless recruiting coaches/staffs arrived...

The biggest mistake recruiters make is deciding for prospects (i.e. He wouldn't be interested, we're not BC, let's focus elsewhere). McCloskey went after whoever he wanted. It paid off. He knew UNH offered every bit the package as any other school - it was just different. Borek had his moments, and had a few more 'initial' moments he couldn't bring to fruition, but I'm not sure he ever really had that belief. Certainly not at the end.

UNH doesn't lose kids to BC, BU because they're BC and BU or because they're in Boston. They lose when they're out recruited by better recruiters. Commesso is, hopefully, an indication that Souza believes UNH is an elite place to go and isn't afraid to recruit against anyone in the country...

As for Commesso, he is in a special class. As an extremely young prospect - and even more so as a goalie - he has a lot of developing to do, but he could have written his ticket to any school in the country. The big schools UNH supposedly can't compete with would love to have him. He's considered a favorite for the NTDP, on par with Knight and for now one of, and arguably the, best North American goalie in his birth year. He is in the same vein as Kelleher JVR, Hemingway and Collins in that he had options and he CHOSE UNH...

I am far from Souza's biggest recruiting fan to date - and there are lots of question makes surrounding even his top commits - but Commesso isn't just a guy, he's a GUY...

Re: UNH Commits & Recruiting: 2017 and Beyond

Originally Posted by Lemonade

Teams need more than one goalie nowadays especially since NHL quality players only stay a year or two and BC was probably hedging on Knight leaving early and bringing in Commesso a year or two later to stagger them and of course that would muddy the waters as BC being a landing spot. Also heard that BC wanted him so BU wouldnt get him...ended up at UNH anyways. Not sure BU is a great fit for goalies. BC has a proven track record but I would go on a limb and say UNH is better at producing goalies than BU is. Add in from the UNH Blog "Drew Commesso: I visited several area Hockey East schools and had other offers but I felt that UNH was the best fit for me. After visiting a few schools I figured out that I did not want to go to a school with an urban campus so that narrowed my search, and after visiting UNH I knew it was for me"

BC was surely hedging and trying to stagger them but they're a year apart in age and the bluest of chips so I'm pretty sure Comesso wasn't looking to sit behind anyone for even a year.

That said, the rest of your post is much closer to reality now that you've moved away from the win one for the gipper approach.

Re: UNH Commits & Recruiting: 2017 and Beyond

Things I Learned at USCHO Today:

(1) BC is considered an urban campus (I thought "urban" ended at Cleveland Circle? );
(2) Nick's "Gaudreau" streak not only exists, but is now going on Year 6 shortly. Good catch, EJ;
(3) BC has a "proven track record" for goalies (Schneider, AHL fixture/NHL scrub Clemmensen, and ... ??? );
(4) The only thing Dan loves more than the Miami U campus is a long dissertation on recruiting

Re: UNH Commits & Recruiting: 2017 and Beyond

Originally Posted by Chuck Murray

Things I Learned at USCHO Today:

(1) BC is considered an urban campus (I thought "urban" ended at Cleveland Circle? );
(2) Nick's "Gaudreau" streak not only exists, but is now going on Year 6 shortly. Good catch, EJ;
(3) BC has a "proven track record" for goalies (Schneider, AHL fixture/NHL scrub Clemmensen, and ... ??? );
(4) The only thing Dan loves more than the Miami U campus is a long dissertation on recruiting

1.) I sort of consider BC and urban campus myself. Its within 10 miles of Boston and certainly close enough to a city to be considered urban. Maybe he was talking about BU after taking BC out of equation?
3.) BC has more of a track record than BU does in terms of producing goalies. Name a good NHL goalie from BU (DiPietro?)...at least BC has Schneider, Clemmenson, Demko).

Re: UNH Commits & Recruiting: 2017 and Beyond

Originally Posted by Lemonade

1.) I sort of consider BC and urban campus myself. Its within 10 miles of Boston and certainly close enough to a city to be considered urban. Maybe he was talking about BU after taking BC out of equation?
3.) BC has more of a track record than BU does in terms of producing goalies. Name a good NHL goalie from BU (DiPietro?)...at least BC has Schneider, Clemmenson, Demko).

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Re: UNH Commits & Recruiting: 2017 and Beyond

Originally Posted by Nick Papagiorgio

Never a one-size-fits-all but ... this is something that would worry me about a recruit.

Why? I looked at the NAHL recruit list and there are quite a few players from this league who commit to D1 schools. Granted, there are only a couple to commit to BU but several who committed to Providence, Union, Minny-Duluth, Harvard and Yale to name a few. I wouldn't lose any sleep over it Nick...